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BETHLEHEM AND OHIO HISTORY. 



From the .Cleveland Leader August 15, 1892. 



Your journal has already presented some 
letters from Prtfe.'-sor G. F. Wright about an 
expedition through Pennsylvania of mmi- 
bers of the Historical Society. He has told 
of tne sciecce side of the expedition. But 
es when the cross-eyed man was cutting bean 
poles, while he cut one he had his other eye 
looking for another pole, bo these gentlemen 
had one eye on science and the other on his- 
tory. And when in the course of their sci- 
entific travels they re::ched Bethlehem and in 
the principal street between the depot and 
the hotel the othereye discovered the legend, 
"Site of the old fineer board pointing out the 
main road to Ohio. Eoad laid out 1745," 
both eyes were turned to Bethlehtm, and 
indeed to good effect. No place in the 
United States has so m-ach of Ohio history in 
it. The Ohio of 1745 was-, of course, the 
River Ohio and its country. The State did 
not exist until the next century. 

But this is the headquarters of the Mo- 
ravians, who were the first Christian settlers 
of Ohio, and the cold-blooded massacre by 
professed Christians from Pennsylvania of a 
village and church full of Christians at 
Gnadenhutten, in Tuscarawas county, in 
1782, is a tale so dramatic in savage ferocity 
by whites, ip patient meeting of death by 
Indians, and in its wholesale characttr so 
like the martyrdom of early Christians, that 
no one who touches Ohio history can fail to 
dwell upon it with emotioi% 

The missionaries there came from Bethle- 
hem and in Bethlehem are their reports, their 
diaries, their history. Most things about 
Bethlehem are historic, but still opposite to 
old Bethlehem is Lehigh University, with its 
$15,000,000 in possession and in future. In it 
is Dr. Wolle, a clergyman who there has 
made such investigation witn the microscope 
and such publications there published, with 
thousands of illustrations— mnny coJored by 
hand — of desmids, of diatoms, and micro- 
scopic algte, as have revealed a new, small, 



and extensive world to all civilized nations. 
The old gentleman — still learned, bright, and 
clear — a Moravinn clergyman who has in this 
inland town devoted his leisure to such 
studies, stands by general recognition of the 
world, head above all on these matters. 
Of course I could not but buy — all but Des- 
mids, of which a new edition is being made 
and the prices are pretty cheap, too. I am 
told the books sell more in Europe than in 
America. It is strange that in science the 
best work costs so little to the public. Our 
party, as usual, had the best of luck. On in- 
quiry of the hotel clerk of whom to ask for 
objects of interest, he said Mr. Leibert, the 
bookseller, and, walking to the door, he 
pointed across the street, andsuid: "There 
he sits." 

Within five minutes Mr. Leibert intro- 
duced us to a passing gentleman. Bishop J. 
Jj'ortiuier Levering— bishop and pastor there 
stationed, and archivist as well of the Mora- 
vians. Mr. August H. Leibert is brother of 
Bishop Leibert, also of Bethlehem. He is a 
trustee of the iloravian Historical Society, 
possessor himself of a fine 1 brary of histori- 
cal books. He has a superb collection of Mo- 
ravian hymn books, and some of them are 
dated from Ohio, one of which is a Delaware 
hymn book. 

This was the first Protestant church to 
publish a hymn book, it appearing in Bohe- 
mia in 1505. 

There seems a nearer, closer touch with 
former history in Bethlehem than any place 
I know. The manv buildings built and used 
by the brethren in '1742, 1745, 1768 are still 
used; a log house, once a church, is covered 
with clapboards, but the large, original stone 
buildings— seeming very large for that early 
time and place — are still used much as they 
were. We were in Bethlehem over Sunday 
and attended the service in the churcn. 
It is very large, rather plain, and built 
at the beginning of this century. The 



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room inside is high, plain, slightly freacoed 
with restful colors. The NIoravians, who are 
a missionary but not a proselytiaw sect, have 
found their hynins "very helpful" and are 
famou*! for their singinir. There was a choir, 
but nearly all the congregation seemed to 
sing and in such melody and time as showed a 
constant habit. Never have I heard so good 
congregational singing. We had an excel- 
lent discourse but were disappointed not to 
hear our acquaintance, Bishop Levering, who 
is a very eloquent and able speaker both in 
English and (Terman. 

We were very much interested in the 
liturgy which was read, and we joined in 
such prayers as "Preserve us, gracious Lord 
and God," 

"From needless perplexity." 

"From the unhappy desire of becoming 
great." 

"From tho influence of the spirit of the 
world." 

One of the hymns sung was written by 
Count Zinzendorf, whu abandoned great tem- 
poral prosperity, and free "from the influence 
of the spirit of the world," cast his lot with 
the Moravians. In December, 1741, witli his 
<laughter, the Countess Henigna, iie reached 
Uethelehem in time to christen it. A most 
•.levoted Christian and man, his hymns 
breathe his spirit. The one sung was: 
Je=us, still lead on 
Till our rest be won, 
And although the way be cbperless 
We will follow calm and foailesg. 
Guide us hv the hand 
To our fatherland. 

What more responsive to the hymn than 
the livs led and lost by the Delaware con- 
verts of Ohio. These converts must have 
been familiar with this favorite hymn — called 
familiarly 

Jesus, still lead on. 

The original Delaware hymn book then 
used is lost — a photograph of the title page 
was lately presente I to the Historical Society 
bv Mr. John W. Jordan, of Philadelphia. 
Hut the translation was no doubt the same 
which appears in a lati r Delaware hymn 
book in lited and dated from Ohio. 

I should not have been able to pick it out 
myself, but l.y the kindness of Mr. Leibert 
and Uishop Levering I can give it, and the 
printer needs to be careful. 

".le-u milineon, ndanimnndammoneen 
Abtschi \Vuliitoiiaini)!ieen, 
Wnak wuski Pommanchsowoapen 
Ntitechquo Gett'uiaka memcnseamak. 



Mr. Howells in his account of Gnadenhut- 
ten (Three Villages) says: One of the assas- 
sins w 18 deputed to inform the Indians that 
inasmuch as they were Christians they would 
be givjn one night to prepare for death in a 
Christian manner. They embraced and 
asked forgiireness, one of another, and thus 
meekly prepared themselves for their doom. 
They were Christians whose lives had wit- 
nessel to the sincerity of their converaion; 
and no'v brought face to face with death their 
faith remained unshaken. 

"The assistants led the rest in the ferveat 
prayers and hymns with which they wore 
away the night." « 

It is likely that the music of this Indian 
hymn sounded sweetly in the f')rest, though 
one can hardly think so in looking at the 
words. Indian languages are agglutinative, the 
words seem to me stuck together like popcorn 
lialls. It is to be noticed that ci pi tals are num- 
erous, and indeed words are often so compound 
and express so much that justice cannot be 
done to them without capitals. Back of the 
church we attended is the ancient cemetery, 
where in death the United Brethren were as 
simpL^ as in their lives. The m^n and wo- 
men were separately laid, without family 
lots, with a flat stone oter each with a 
simple inscription giving the date and per- 
haps place of birth, if foreign, and date of 
death. If the deceased was a wife, it was in- 
dicated by bar name, as "late Luckenbach." 
1 noticed two stories to historians to whom 
Ohio is much indebted. 

George Llenry Loskiel, Episoopatus Fratruin, 
born 7 Nov., 1740, at Angermunde in Curland, 
d''parted2'. Fobr., 1814. 

Edmund Alexander Da Schweinitz, Episoopus 
Fratrum, born Mar, 20, 1825, foil asleep Deo., 18, 
18S7. 

This simplicity was departed from but 
once, and that in a new inscription merited 
by sufferiuir, in which the deceased must 
often have thought of the sentiment of 
"Jesus, still lead on." 

In tho hope of a glorious resurrection were laid 
to rest February 24, 1761. on this spot, then tho 
center of this cemetery, the mortal remains of Ju- 
liana Xitschmann, whoso maiden name was Ha- 
berlaiul, wife of Bishop John Xitschmann, and a 
distinguished deaconess of the church. She was 
born at Shoenau, in Moravia, .July 19,1712, a 
lineal descendant of tho Ancient Brethren's 
Unity, tho daughter of fearless confessors, amidst 
bonds and imprisonment, of tho pure gospel of 
Christ, (leeing for conscience sake to llerrnhut,ia 
Saxony: she served with singleness of heart her 
God and the church in Germany. England, and 
America, and died on tho 22d of February, 1751. 



West. Res. Hist. Soc. 
1915 



I- 



This seoond memorial was plaoed here ia the 
year of our Lord 1884. 

The Moravians were in every way interest- 
ing and seemad to live up to their faith and 
their history. They do not indulge in theo- 
logical disputes. 

The little tract presented us by the bishop 
says the "church has never issued a con- 
fession of faith in the sense of a regular 
denominaiionai creed, strictly defining what 
the members of the church are bound to 
believe in regard to every disputed point 
of relii^ion." 

"Conceriiingcertain 'mysteries' of Scripture 
such as the Trinity, predestination, the sacra- 
ments, the methods of regeueratiou, or con- 
cerning other minor or disputed points which 
have been the cause of contention and 
division among many Christian denomina- 
tions, the Moravians neyer thought it right 
to set up definitions which should bind the 
conscience.''' 
'' "The yoke that was too heavy for the fath- 
ers they are not willing to lay on the necks of 
the children." 

The historical wealth of the library of the 
Moravian Church is immense. A very large 
number of ancient books, relating to the 
Christian history, especially theirs, is there 
collected, ranging from almost the invention 
of printing. There they are, long rows of 
them, in the original state, perfect and clean, 
and no doubt quite a number have been in 
Bethlehem for a century and a half. But it 
is their manuscript treasures which were of 
especial interest to us. 

There were hundreds of volumes and boxes, 
each with hundreds of pages of most interest- 
ing matter. From the first the missionaries 
reported fully their lives, often by a diary. 
Their journeys made in the last century are 
fully reported. 

Bishop Lovering, who himself formerly was 
stationed in Ohio, and who takes much intel- 
ligent interest in its history, is the archivist, 
having the directorship of the library, and 
spent much of his own time and gave everv 
facility for examination ot the manuscripts. 
Many are in German, but the bishop was by 
to tell what they were. Some were in Eng- 
lish. Of these original manuscripts one 
large box was labeled "French and Indian 
wars, 1755," and one "Massacre at Gnaden- 
hutien." But I cannot give an enumeration. 



Sample titles of the papers are "Diary of 
New Salem on Lake Erie," 1789-1792; 
"Petquottink on Lake Erie," 1787-1788; 
"Indian Congregation at Salem on the 
Muskingum," 1780-1781. There was a diary 
of David Zaisberger of a little Indian com- 
pany in the "Night Quarter" on the Cuyahoga 
from October, 178(3, to February, 1787. The 
bishop explained that night quarter among 
the Indians meant a sojourn not exceeding a 
year. 

What ia nearly a duplicate of the last has 
teen published by Messrs. Robert Clarke & 
Co., of Cincinnati. 

There is the diary of a journey from Cuya- 
hoga to Bethlehem by Jotin HeckewelJer in 
1786. Such titles relating to Ohio or of in- 
terest to it might run over a hundred. The 
venerable Heckewelder gave an account of 
the Western Reserve to the Connecticut Land 
Company with a map. The map and de- 
scription were printed in 1884 by the Histor- 
ic il Society at Cleveland as tract No. 64, and 
the society hope at an early day to have at 
one of its meetings an address upon the Mo- 
ravians and their sojourn in this county from 
Mr. P. H. Kaiser, who numbers among his 
ancestry the early Moravians^no ancestry 
more honorable. One of the last finds was a 
plan by HeckewelJer of the first Christian 
settlement in the present limits of this county 
(just north of Tinker's Creek), with the loca- 
tion of each house and the name of its occu- 
pant. 

So full and precise are these diaries and 
reports of the early missionaries, that a par- 
tial enumeration only tends to conceal the 
wealth of the library. 

At Bethlehem the party traveling had 
changed, iMr. and Mrs. D. C. Baldwin, of 
Elyria, baving returned home, while Albert 
A. Wright, professor of geology and petro- 
logy at Oberlin, had joined it. The weather 
was very hot, but none of the party will ever 
think of the visit without much pleasure. 
The town itself is handsome, but the houses 
are plain, many on the line of the street, and 
in the hot weather the front steps were a 
convenient parlor. The rides are fine, and a 
picturesque river flows through the town 
navigated by a steamboat. Upon the bluffs 
in South Bethlehem are homes as elegant as 
can anywhere be found. 

C. C. Baldwin. 



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